Container for ground coffee and the like



Jan. 12, 1932. c. HAMMOND CONTAINER FOR GROUND COFFEE AID THE LIKE Filed July 25, 1930 dttomqi B /w v /m [a 6 MM. m m w g m m fl Patented Jan. '12, 1932 PATENT OFFICE 3111011110! WEST m, NEW YORK v commas. Ion. eaom commune rm= a ucaaun fled my 25, mo. Serial 10.4mm.

Certain beverage and food articles,for

example cofiee in a ground or pulverized state, require the'exclusion of air to prevent loss of aroma, or flavor or-strength or' other 3 deteriorations. Taking the case "of ground cofiee for illustration,- it'is kept cans or containers in the household and the c an' or container usually has a removable top or cover which must be removed and replaced more or less daily and sometimes several times a day. The removal of the entire top or cover itself unduly exposesthe coffee to the deleterious access of air, and, of course, there is the likelihoodthat the top when replaced, may not be tightly closed and thus the coffee be subjected to air entering the container; To this is added the difiiculty of making an air-tight joint between the top and thecontainer, especially when the top must be secured sufliciently loosely not to make its removal and replacement troublesome. 'The object of my invention is to provide a can or container with means which while eatly facilitating the removal of the desire quantity of the contents and the opening and closing of the necessary opening, will assure an air-tight closure.

My invention consists in whatever is described by or is included within the terms or Bl. scope of the appended claims.

In the drawmgs- Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively, vertical sections of portions of a cofiee container of ordinary'construction embodying my invention,

5, the pouring opening being shown respectively closed and open; v

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. I Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the closure alone. For the sake of clear illustration, the drawings are on a greatly enlarged scale.

The can or container shown is one of wellknown construction embodying a cylindrical o ien top body, 10, and a can or cover, 11, that te escopes over the open top of the body and which as it does not have to'be removed as kflinthe ordinary vcase for removal of the cofiee may be fitted ith all desired-tightness an even permanently to the can'body to make an air-tight joint. i

thus, in efiect, constitutes a spout. .Fteferably to the upward In the top or cover, 11, and near the margin thereof, I provide a hole or o ning, 12, of small or circumscribed area w ch is oblong and extends in substantially a radial direction of the cover and which at each of the two 5 sides which extend radially has a downturned flange or lip, 13. This is integral with the cover and may readily be formed by suitable incisions in the cover and then bending the partially cut out portion :at substantially right angles to provide the flange or lip. These flanges or lips preferably cant or slant slightly towards one another so that at their bottom edges they are nearer together for a purpose hereinafter explained. For closing the hole, 12, there'is a closure thatconsists of a top plate, 14, with a tail, 15, that extends from the hole towards the center of the top and} at its inner extremity is hinged by a transverse wire, 16, that asses through'an eye on the tail and at its opposite ends is suitably secured, by soldering or otherwise, to them top. At its outer end said plate has a ton e, 17, that extends downward at right ang es and overlaps and lies snugly against the outer side of' the can top flange when the closure is in a hole-closing position. At each side said closure plate, 14, has a downwardly extending flange or cheek, 18, and the two cheeks when o the closure is in a hole-closing position contact respectivelywith the inner sides of the lips, 13. It is to assure air-tight contact between lips and check that the lips as before explained cant or slant slightly inward so 5 that they will exert gsressure against the outer sides of the chee The sheet metal ofv which the parts are made is sufliciently elastic or has enough spring so that the desired pressure between lips. and cheeks to form the tight joint is produced. The cheeks are quadrant shape and are of suflicient area that when the closure is fully opened as shown in Fig. 2, the cheeks will reach partly into the hole or opening, 12. The cheeks thus serve asguides to confine and direct the ground cofiee when the can'is titled. to pour out a. desired quantityof cofiee. The closure pouring nozzle or containers giving the date of packing. With swing of the closure to the open position shown in Fig. 2 one or both cheeks has a laterally turned lug, 19, which will contact with the lower edge of the adjacent lip, 13.

The downturned tongue, 17, has spring friction contact with the outer side of the can top which aids in making an air-tight joint and holds the closure in its closed position,

but preferably, .holding means consisting of' an outwardly pro ecting convex boss, 20, on the can top and a corresponding interlocking boss, 21, on said tongue is provided. The lower end of the tongue is preferably'rolled as shown for comfortable engagement of the finger to release and swing openthe closure.

.To contribute to the tight contact of the top plate of the closure. with the top of the can top, vthe tail, 15, adjacent the hinge is bent downward at a slight angle and seated in a correspondingly inclinedcavity or depression,"22, in the can top.

'The friction of'the lips and cheeks will hold the closure in open position and it will thus neednot be held open by hand for pouring.

Somecofiee dealers place a label upon their my invention a label, 23, containing'such a date can be applied over the closure and adjacent surfaces of the top thus constituting a seal guaranteeing the contents with reference to that date.

What I claim is 1. A container for granulated material, such as coffee, comprising a body, a top provided with a pouring hole, and a movable closure for such hole, the hole edges and the closure having frictionally engaging, extended surfaces that make a tight joint when they are in contact, said surfaces comprising lips extending inwardly from the hole edges at opposite sides, and downwardly projectmg cheeks extending from the top of said closure along the inner surfaces of said lips, said lips and cheeks being entirely within the container when the hole is closed. the adjacent contacting surfaces of said lips and cheeks being so inclined relative to each other as to produce sufiieient frictional ontact to retain the closure either in closed or in open position.

2. A container for'gra-nulated material,

when the hole is closed, the adjacent contacting surfaces of said lips and checks being so inclined relative to each other as to produce suflicient frictional contact to retain the closure either in closed or in open position.

3. A container for granulated material, such as coffee, comprising a body having a pouring hole, a closure for such hole having cheeks extending from the body portion of the closure, the cheeks being entirely within the container when the hole is closed and lying against the adjacent sides of the hole, at least one of suchsides being extended as a lip within the container and adjacent cheek and lip being in frictional contact sufficient to retain the closure either in closed or in open position, and means connecting closure and container that permit movement of the closure into and out of the pouring hole.

4. A container for granulated material, such as cofiee, comprising a body with a pouring hole, a closure for such hole having cheeks at opposite sides that project inwardly with reference to the hole, the cheeks being entirely within the container when the hole is closed;'and cheek-engaging lips extending from opposite edges of the hole wholly within the container, ad] acent cheeks and lips being in frictional contact suflicientto retain the closure eitherin closed or in open osition.

5. A device as in claim 3 in w ich the closure is pivoted at one extremity to the contained top and at the other extremity has a handle-forming extension that reaches down over the side of the container body.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

CHESTER HAMMOND. 

